NDP MP Alexandrine Latendresse talks to media after leaving question period in the House of Commons. (iPolitics/ Matthew Usherwood)

The NDP wants Canada’s elections commissioner to investigate a “questionable” pattern of donations to the Conservative and Liberal parties that have been linked to Quebec’s largest independent accounting firm.

“On December 28, 2007, a wave of donations swept through the Conservative Association of Pontiac and on December 31, 2009, another series of donations were made to the Conservative Party of Canada. On February 28, 2010, it was the Liberal Party of Canada who was the recipient of another set of donations.”

The NDP was alerted to the donations by a Radio Canada report. According to Elections Canada records, dozens of firm associates made donations to the same party on the same day. The NDP reports that in the case of the 2007 donations, at least 50 members of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton donated to the Conservative’s Pontiac riding association even though none of them resided there.

“Certain recent public revelations concerning political donations made in Quebec have heightened my concerns in this matter,” Latendresse said in the letter.

“The Charbonneau Commission has unmasked companies that made a point of using their employees to circumvent the ban on corporate donations to political parties by reimbursing their employees afterwards. If the individuals concerned used such an approach, they would be in violation of the Canada Elections Act.”

Elections Canada spokesman John Enright said he could not comment on the letter or the launch of an investigation. If it proceeds, the status of the case won’t be known until an outcome is revealed.